So often I come across people either trying to be saved by Christ plus their own works or believers that are saved that are still drawn back to the law. Here are some verses on the security of the believer in Christ and the basis of our salvation. It is impossible to stand for the faith if you are not sure that you are saved because salvation in Christ is your foundation. Please also feel free to mention other verses or passages that support eternal security or non-works salvation as this list is not exhaustive. I feel it beneficial to consider these verses because they are key for us to grow in maturity in the Lord, in grace, and in our faith. Living the Christian life can be full of joy and blessings if you are not living in fear that you may lose your salvation. Likewise it is liberating to know that you do not have to prove by your works that you have been saved in the first place. Our salvation is rooted in Christ by faith, not rooted in our “Christian” performance. We must know that eternal salvation is a gift received by grace through faith.

Romans 4:5 – But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

1 Cor 6:11 -And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

2 Corinthians 5:21 – For he [God the Father] hath made him [God the Son] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Acts 10:43 – To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

Acts 16:30-34
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

Eph 2:1-9
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

I John 5:4 – 13
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

John 6:40 – And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Eph 1:7 – In whom we have redemption through his [Jesus Christ] blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Romans 3:19-28Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works?Nay: but by the law of faith.Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Romans 11:6 – And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”

Titus 3:5 – Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.

I Peter 1:18 – Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

John 6:29 – Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”

1st Corinthians 6:20 – For ye are bought with a price [Christ’s shed blood]: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Gal 2:16-3:29
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

John 3:14-18
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God

Gal 5:1-9Stand fasttherefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

1Co 15:1-11
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.

My prayer is that if you have read this that you have trusted Christ as Savior. For anyone trying to be saved by law keeping or good works (turning from sins, obeying the law, discipleship, good works) I pray that you will consider these verses and repent (reconsider/change your mind). Believe in the only possible Savior – Jesus Christ, based on the gospel message, to save you eternally. The gospel is like fresh air to those in need of it and our eternal standing in Christ is fresh air to those who are not living by grace.

29 Responses to The Foundation of Eternal Security – A Breath of Fresh Air

Excellent article. It is amazing to scan the Internet, bookstores, libraries, sermons, etc and find how many folks (Lordship Salvationists and Calvinists) who claiming to “stand for the faith” yet have NO foundation in Eternal security, Eternal life by Grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

Jack, I agree. I wish people could understand that salvation was earned by Christ and offered to us as a gift by grace through faith. Many think it is earned in some why with their help or that it is a reward instead of a gift.

Those who say we can lose eternal life once we have obtained it probably didn’t really understand what it or the gospel was in the first place.

Jim, great idea for an article. Tom Cucuzza has been doing a series from 2 Corinthians 5. Here are some verses that show Paul’s confidence in eternal security.

[1] For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
[2] For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
[3] If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
[4] For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
[5] Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
[6] Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

Also, Romans 8:

[33] Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
[34] Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
[35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
[36] As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
[37] Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
[38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
[39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

A few years ago we attended a church where the leadership was fuzzy in presenting the gospel and heavily relied upon the law. The people there were focused upon their sin rather than the Savior. God bless you:)
(Link removed)

Yes, it is sad that people don’t grasp the reality of salvation in Christ alone and look to Him for victory in the Christian walk. Growing in love and thankfulness for what He has done is a great way to walk in the Spirit so that we don’t do those things that displease God. Focusing on our sin is a great way to sin repeatedly.

I noticed in your link that you mentioned turning from sins for salvation. I do not advocate this position so I have decided to remove the link. I hope for you to understand that repentance in relation to conversion is a change of mind. It is a change from what we believed previously to trusting Christ alone to save. Many people who are law focused have a turn from sins view for conversion. In my estimation that is partly how the gospel becomes clouded and or changed altogether.

Reblogged this on Redeemingmoments and commented:
So many voices of condemnation in the professing church. But this is not what the Word of God teaches. Want to refresh yourself on eternal security? Read my friend’s post… it is a breath of fresh air!

Jim, excellent blog! I would just like to add that while one should always go to the Word of God to gain wisdom and understanding of His truth as a matter of first priority, one can also be convinced of the truth of the eternal security of the believer just by having a very basic understanding of the sad state of the human condition and the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. The following philosophical point can be made…

If a person is unworthy at the moment that they receive eternal life in Jesus Christ, why then would we believe that the same Jesus Christ would reject you later for again being unworthy?

What I am saying here is that eternal security is not only the scriptural position, but also the common sense position. It follows good logic pure and simple. God saved us as we were abominable creatures deserving of Hell, so now we are expected to believe that He will cast us out of His promise because we struggle with sin? Absolutely not! I am a Father of 3 young boys. Do they cease to be my children when they disobey me? Impossible. Do I cast them out of my life because they are not always faithful to my rules? Never. I love them, I discipline them, and I give them wisdom so that they might grow in knowledge and character. Sound familiar? Just as it is impossible for our children to re-enter the womb to be unborn to us, once we become a child of God, having been born again, there is no way for us to become unborn again. We belong to God forever because He says so in His Word. God is not a liar. He does not break His promises. He is always faithful even when we are not. He is the only Word worthy of trust.

Now if only our Roman Catholic Friend, Paul (from my FB debate), could begin to see this wonderful and liberating truth! Let’s be contending for the faith and praying for everyone who lacks this blessed understanding! It is this teaching (and sometimes also the doctrine of the Deity of Christ) that separates the false religions and pseudo-christian cults of the world from the narrow gate that is the way of the grace reliant body of believers around the world!

I’ll be praying for your friend Paul. He needs to embrace the truth in God’s Word and even as you say, as far as eternal security goes, it is the most logical. The problem is that the devil twists the facts and creates his own false logic because it stems from a false foundation. Religions like Catholicism add extra problems because they don’t hold to the 66 books of the Bible as the only revelation. They allow for things like church tradition, the Pope, and the Apocrypha to convey additional “revelation”. I agree that most of the cults and false religions either have the wrong view of Christ or have a works based gospel. Holding a conditional security position indicates a works gospel. Those working for their salvation are not understanding that salvation is an eternal gift.

“And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ “So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. Acts 26:14-20
Paul perfectly modeled for us repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul was formerly a persecutor and blasphemer before he met Jesus Christ, after he met Jesus Christ he placed his faith in Him and obeyed Him becoming a minister and witness for Jesus Christ. That is repentant faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Paul was going one way (his way), then he turned and went God’s way by believing in Jesus Christ and obeying Him. God bless you:)

As long as we understand that repentance is a change of mind. It is not really a change of way or change of course as some will say. It means to change one’s mind about the the Savior and trust Him alone for salvation based on the gospel ( Christ’s sinless life, death, burial, and resurrection.). Paul changed his mind and trusted Christ alone as Savior. This is true. This is obeying the gospel. The obedience later in his life in proclaiming the gospel would have been in keeping with his walking in the Spirit doing the will of God but was not part of his conversion. Our good works do not add merit to our faith. Nor do there have to be a certain quantity to prove our faith is real. The reality of our faith is proven by the object of our faith – Jesus Christ.

Thanks Eliza, I don’t allow links to material that opposes the Biblical definition of repentance. Repentance is a change of mind that lead to placing one faith solely in the Savior. Faith is a personal trust in the Savior. Faith and repentance or basically synonymous in relation to conversion. Yes, people should repent (change their mind), believe in Christ, and then as a saved individual do works befitting repentance. Including repentance in salvation is not a work, but defining it as “Turn from sins” is. And it can’t be explained away by saying it is given to us by God. In other words, God does it for us. Faith is the condition for salvation. Faith implies repentance(change of mind). You will not find repentance relating to conversion referring to “turn from sins” in the Bible.

“This work presents an exhaustive examination of every verse in Scripture in which the word “repent” occurs. But after all the ink has dried, the lessons contained herein can probably be summed up in eight or so basic truths.

Repentance has no intrinsic subject. Anyone can repent, even God!

Repentance has no intrinsic object. It is not automatically directed toward sin. One can repent about virtually anything. One can even repent from good to evil!

Repentance has no intrinsic consequence. It does not automatically result in eternal salvation. It can result in result in any consequence that naturally follows the exercise God’s free will, or man’s free will.

The actual phrase “repent of your sins” never occurs in Scripture. NEVER!

The Bible never teaches that one must repent of their sins to be saved.

Whenever sin is the object of repentance, the consequence of repentance is never eternal salvation.

Whenever eternal salvation is the consequence of repentance, the object of repentance is never sin.

In every passage on repentance relating to eternal salvation, the object of repentance is, in some way or another, the person of Jesus Christ, his eternal divinity, his atoning death, His resurrection, or the freeness of the eternal salvation he provides. The object of saving repentance is no different than the elements of saving faith described in other terms throughout Scripture:

If you are able to remember these simple truths about biblical repentance, you will know more about repentance, and more about the doctrine of salvation, than 99.9% of the ministers filling the pulpits of Christian churches across the land.”

Please see his material here as he goes through all of the relevant verses on this topic:

Paul perfectly exemplified repentant faith in Jesus Christ. Paul was going his way when Jesus Christ me Him, confronted Paul with his sin, commissioned Paul to follow Him and serve Him in the ministry of the gospel. So Paul the sinner rejected the gospel, rejected Jesus Christ, attacked the church, and then Jesus Christ revealed Himself to Paul who then believed in Jesus Christ and was obedient to the heavenly vision, as he himself stated, preaching the gospel and building up the kingdom of God. What aspect of Paul’s genuine repentant faith do you not understand? Paul was going his way, which is what every human on the face of this earth does, then Jesus Christ met him on the road to Damascus, and right after that Paul started going Jesus Christ’s way. That is what every sinner is called to, that is the whole reason why Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6 & Romans 6:15-18 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. Jesus Christ is our Savior from sin, Satan, and eternal death. We do not continue in sin when we believe in Him. He delivers us from sin so that we will live for Him. We must recognize that we are sinners to come to Him, and recognizing that He died for us because we are sinners, are we then going to say to the Holy God, Thank you for dying for me, and then continue in our sin as if we had never turned to Him? I don’t believe any genuinely saved individual would be so blasphemous.

Consider the story of the Philippian jailer. He was told by Paul to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. He and his house believed God and were saved. Paul could have said many other things but why did He say to believe? He didn’t say turn from and forsake your sins, take up your cross, follow in discipleship, feel really really truly sorry, beg God to save you, ask Jesus to come into your life, change the course of our life. He said believe. What about Abraham’s example? His faith was accounted to him for righteousness. This faith would have implied repentance (change of mind). Remember people are not saved different ways. You can’t accurately use the story of Paul’s conversion as a proof text for “change of course repentance” (turn from sins) if you have other examples and if in doing so you contradict the ways in which others were saved. The Philippian jailer, Abraham, and Paul along with every other believer has been justified by faith. There were all saved by grace through faith. What about David, Lot, Samson, the Corinthians? Change of course repentance advocates would have reason to doubt a person’s salvation if they were living through any of the same sins that these people committed – as believers. The fact is that salvation is a reality at conversion on through eternity regardless of how we live because that is not ever a factor in earning or keeping salvation. Works are a testimony but are not dogmatic proofs of our salvation or “genuineness” at conversion. Salvation is a free gift received by faith. Let’s not over complicate conversion and faith with elements of obedience after salvation.

One more thing. Have you read the material I recommended at Clear Gospel campaign?

There really is no such thing as “genuine repentant faith”. There are not kinds of faith in relation to accepting God’s free gift such as unrepentant faith etc. See, Unbelievers can only put their faith in Christ alone based on the truth of the gospel. In essence they receive the free gift by faith without works. Faith implies change of mind. If you didn’t have to change your mind then you already believed. The important key in faith at conversion is the object of our faith. If that is incorrect then there is no reception of the free gift. If we add any works to it then the gift is no longer free but we are trying to earn a reward which leads to not accepting the gift as well.

Now believers can have little faith, weak faith, strong faith, fruitful faith, dead faith (unproductive James 2), but these descriptions don’t apply to the unsaved. They relate to various degrees of maturity of faith in the lives of believers. Think about what a shame it would be if your testimony of being a believer was dead faith! This was the reality for some of the believers that James was writing to. They had to be admonished to do something useful for others with their faith.

I might add Hebrews 4:10 ” For he who has entered His rest has himself ceased from his works as God did from His”. Salvation means you we resting in God since He has completed all that was required through Christ and there is no need for us to add anything else.

…but will you know, o vain man, that faith without works is dead (being alond).
Indeed a death-bed repentant may be saved without works, but if God heals him then his FRUIT will be the dipstick of his FAITH, to determine whether his lamp has oil, or whether he’s a hearer only, deceiving himself with a counterfeit faith and a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.

Fruit or obedience is a measure of faithfulness, not faith itself as in the faith used to believe the gospel at conversion. James was desiring that his readers have a better testimony toward the lost. He was not questioning the actual reality of their faith. He was calling out their disobedience in their Christian walk.

So if you want to know if you are saved then consider who or what you have trusted in. If you want to know if you are currently being a good testimony or if you are being a pleasing faithful servant, then look at your walk in light of the mirror of the Word.

Understanding this is very difficult because I’d say the vast majority of people have been taught error concerning this passage and it has so often been used to justify works salvation in some fashion.

Nonya, please see my response to your previous comment. Also please note that there is no such thing as a counterfeit faith in terms of trusting Christ alone for salvation. Doing such always results in salvation. Faith is counterfeited if placed in the wrong object that cannot save such as a false god or yourself. Unfortunately lordshippers tend to add themselves into the mix. Then they proceed to do the works test to see if their faith plus works gospel worked…

Instead of all that they just do what Bible states over 150 times and trust Christ for salvation. He paid it all and does not need our help before or after our conversion.